


An Anxiety Melody

by rubylily



Category: Venus Versus Virus
Genre: Developing Relationship, F/F, Mid-Canon, Mutual Pining, Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-27
Updated: 2013-12-27
Packaged: 2018-01-06 09:26:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,204
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1105168
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rubylily/pseuds/rubylily
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Lucia, Sumire, and Nahashi go on a seemingly routine Virus hunt.</p>
            </blockquote>





	An Anxiety Melody

Viruses. Dark fallen beings. Invisible to most, they only attacked those who could see them - those with "Vision." Those killed by Viruses became Viruses themselves, and they sought what they had lost, something that could only be found in those they had once been like.

Takahana Sumire could've gone her entire life without ever knowing about the existence of Viruses. However, now that she could see them, she had only two choices: run or fight.

She had chosen to fight.

Tonight she, Lucia, and Nahashi were in an abandoned parking garage, having received a request from its most recent purchaser concerning some strange happenings. Despite being abandoned, the garage was in fairly decent shape and the full moon gave enough light for the three of them to see somewhat clearly. It was far later than their normal hunts, and Sumire wanted to be done quickly, as she had school tomorrow.

"It's too quiet," Lucia said. "But I still sense something."

"Yeah, I do too," Sumire replied, clutching her gun tightly. The sound of her heartbeat filled her ears, and the cold winter air was sharp against her skin.

A sudden chill went down her spine, and she fought back the urge to vomit.

"Sumire, behind you!" Lucia yelled, turning around and steadying her gun, and Sumire ducked as Lucia fired at whatever was behind her. Slowly she looked behind herself, and she caught a glimpse of something dashing behind a pillar.

"Damn, I missed," Lucia hissed, gritting her teeth.

"I will ensure it does not escape!" Nahashi said as he rushed forward, sword in hand.

"All right, and we'll get it from the sides." Lucia glanced at Sumire. "Ready?"

Sumire nodded. "Y-Yes!"

The two girls dashed ahead, circling the pillar to trap the shadowy figure between them while Nahashi took the back. It was definitely a Virus, and no matter how many times Sumire fought them, they never got any less frightening. This Virus had long hair and was dressed in an evening gown that had probably once been very beautiful.

"Something smells... sweet," the Virus said, smirking. "Is it you two girls?"

"I won't let you escape!" Sumire yelled, aiming her gun and opening fire. At this close of range, even she couldn't miss.

But she did, as the Virus seemed to vanish.

"Wha... I missed?" Sumire's palms grew sweatier, and her eyes darted back and forth. "But how...?"

"Sumire-kun, above you!" Nahashi shouted.

Sumire looked up and saw the Virus right above her. Quickly she aimed her gun and pulled back the trigger, but she only heard a sharp click. Her eyes widened in fear; she was out of bullets!

"Sumire!" Lucia ran toward Sumire and shoved her backward, and the Virus pinned down Lucia instead.

"Let her go!" Nahashi slashed at the Virus with his sword, but a mighty swing of its unnaturally long hair sent him flying back.

"Lucia-san, Nahashi-san!" Sumire fumbled through her pockets for more bullets. If she could use her Berserker powers, she could make short work of that Virus - after all, she had managed to control them well during their previous job for the archeologist Mayumi - but she couldn't activate them without an anti-Virus bullet!

Her fingers brushed against her small knife. It was coated in anti-Virus vaccine, so it could work...

She had no more time to think. She whipped out the knife and charged for the Virus. "Don't you dare hurt Lucia-san!" she screamed as she jumped onto the Virus' back and stabbed her knife into its throat.

The Virus let out high-pitched, bloodcurdling scream, and it jerked back, trying to shake off Sumire, but she kept a tight hold on it. She locked her arms around its throat and dug her knife even more into its flesh, and she could feel its skin melting against her hands as it continued to scratch her with its claw-like nails.

She gritted her teeth, trying to ignore the pain. She had killed Viruses on her own before. She was getting stronger. She was going to protect those she cared about.

A gunshot rang out, and the Virus crumbled to dust beneath her.

"If you had held still, I could've killed you so much more gently," Lucia smirked, holding up her fleshly-fired gun.

"Lucia-san, I'm so glad you're all right," Sumire said, and now that she and Lucia were no longer in danger, pain suddenly shot through her entire body. Her legs gave out and she fell back, with Nahashi barely managing to catch her in time before she hit the hard ground.

"Sumire-kun, are you hurt?" he asked, looking her over, and he let out a sharp gasp. "Your arm and leg are bleeding!"

She tried to smile, even though the pain was becoming clearer and clearer. "I'll be fine as long as Lucia-san is."

"You should worry more about yourself!" Lucia snapped as she leaned over Sumire. "I'm fine, but you need attention right away! Nahashi, let's go!"

Nahashi nodded and lifted Sumire into his arms to carry her back to the car. She didn't argue or resist, and her gaze was fixed on Lucia. She could almost swear she saw tears in the corner of Lucia's uncovered eye.

* * *

"Ow!" Sumire screamed as Lucia dapped a cloth against the open wound on her leg. They were in the basement of Venus Vangard, and Lucia was cleaning and dressing Sumire's wounds. She had already bandaged Sumire's arm.

"It's not that bad," Lucia said, frowning. "And you wouldn't have gotten hurt if you hadn't pulled that stupid stunt."

Sumire let out an awkward giggle. "But I was out of bullets, and I had to do something to save you."

Lucia sighed. "This is why Nahashi and I always tell you to check your gun before a mission. Still..." A faint blush came across her cheeks. "Thank you, Sumire. You're actually pretty reliable to have around."

"That means a lot coming from you, Lucia-san," Sumire said with a soft smile.

Lucia said nothing in response. She just continued to treat Sumire's leg. Her hands were surprisingly gentle, and although they were still quite cold, they were warmer than they used to be. She pressed a piece of cloth against the wound and then started wrapping bandages around Sumire's leg, starting at her ankle and making her way upwards. She was quite skilled at this - of course she was, Sumire thought; Nahashi had said she had been hunting Viruses for a long time - and she was careful not to tie the bandage too tightly.

As she watched Lucia, the scent of roses and tobacco filled her nose. It was a pleasant smell, even if she didn't approve of Lucia's smoking habit, and it was nice to have her so close.

Sumire's heart beat faster. Lucia was so strong and brave. She could keep a calm face through anything, something Sumire admired. But she also shouldered so much responsibility, and Sumire did want to protect her, even if just by embracing her to comfort her. She was beautiful as well, and Sumire found herself staring at her lips.

"Sumire?" Lucia glanced up. "Is something wrong?"

"A-Ah, no, nothing at all!" Sumire stammered, her face bright red.

"If you say so." Lucia finished tying the bandage around Sumire's leg. "There, I'm done."

Sumire stood up and touched the bandages encircling her forearm and leg. The wounds still stung a little, but the pain wasn't as intense as it had been. "Everything feels fine. Thank you, Lucia-san."

"It's not a problem," Lucia said. "This is pretty basic stuff, and you probably could've done it yourself."

Sumire blushed, but she still smiled. "A-Ah, well, it's easier to do for another person than yourself."

"That's probably true. You're not so bad at treating my wounds when I get injured." A faint smile came upon Lucia's lips. "Are you going to bed now? Do you need any more help?"

Sumire shook her head. "No, I think I'll be fine. Are you going to bed soon too?"

"Nah, I'll stay up a little longer. Maybe I'll have a smoke."

Sumire frowned, but said nothing. She was surprised Nahashi could be so permissive about that sort of thing. "Well, goodnight, Lucia-san."

Lucia lightly touched Sumire's shoulder. "Goodnight, Sumire."

Sumire headed to the bedroom she shared with Lucia, and once inside she got undressed and put on her nightgown, being careful not to disturb the bandages. When she went to school tomorrow, the socks and sleeves of her uniform would cover them, so she hoped her friends and cousins would notice nothing off about her.

After she turned off the lights, she got into her bed and stared at Lucia's empty one across from her, and a feeling of loneliness washed over her. She was cold, and the feel of Lucia's skilled hands treating her wounds was still fresh in her mind. She wanted more of Lucia's touch. Maybe she could ask if she could share a bed with Lucia. No, she couldn't do that. Lucia was such a private person, and it would be rude to intrude on that. Still, maybe someday Lucia would trust her enough...

"Lucia-san, I..." Sumire breathed, and as her eyes fell closed, the pain throughout her body seemed to fade, and she was lulled into a deep, uneasy sleep.

She often dreamt of Lucia, trying to free her from the darkness, and tonight was no different.

* * *

Instead of lighting another cigarette, Lucia stepped into Nahashi's bedroom, and he sat at his desk with an open book and one of Venus Vangard's flyers. "Hey Nahashi," she greeted.

"Hello, Lucia," he replied, turning to face her. "How is Sumire-kun?"

Lucia sat at the edge of Nahashi's bed. "She's doing okay. She's already gone to bed. I still can't believe she did something so stupid..."

"She has a strong desire to protect us and to prove she is not a burden, so I cannot say I'm surprised." Nahashi rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Lucia, what do you think of her now?"

"Huh? Well..." Lucia bit her lip; what kind of question was that? "She's a quick learner, but she's far too sweet for this kind of work. It's bad enough I got her involved, and we still don't know how her powers work. But I don't really regret meeting her. She is very kind."

Nahashi chuckled. "I must say, it is nice to see you opening up to a girl close to your age."

"Don't... don't patronize me!' Lucia snapped, blushing. "A-Anyway, you're investigating that flyer, right?"

"I am," Nahashi answered. "Our client said she found it on her office desk the morning after her company purchased that abandoned parking garage."

"Yeah, that's pretty suspicious. At least now they can renovate the place and not have it be an eyesore."

"Have you told Sumire-kun about this?"

Lucia shook her head. "Not yet. I don't want to worry her if it turns out to be nothing."

"In any case, I will continue to investigate it." Nahashi adjusted his monocle. "You should rest now, Lucia."

"Yeah, you're right." Lucia stood up and headed toward the door. "Goodnight, Nahashi."

Nahashi smiled. "Goodnight, Lucia."

Lucia left Nahashi's bedroom and went to her own, and when she opened the door, she was greeted by the faint glow of the nightlight. "Already asleep, hm?" she mused. She quickly changed into her nightgown and let down her hair, and then she walked over to the side of Sumire's bed.

"Sorry for dragging you into all this," Lucia whispered, carefully brushing strands of hair from Sumire's face. Her skin was pleasantly soft and warm, especially compared to her own cold hands. "Maybe Nahashi's right. Maybe it is nice having a friend my own age." She frowned; _friend_ didn't seem like the right word, but she never had a friend before, so what would she know? "I almost feel warmer when you're around. Just stop putting yourself in danger, okay? I don't need to be saved if it means you hurting yourself." She bent over and kissed Sumire's forehead. "Sweet dreams, Sumire."

Sumire stirred slightly, and she muttered, "Lucia-san..."

Startled, Lucia went deathly still, but once she was sure Sumire was just talking in her sleep, she backed away as quietly as she could and got into her own bed and pulled the sheets over herself. She suddenly felt colder, even though her heart still raced. "Sumire..."

She turned away from Sumire's bed, and she felt even further away from her than usual. She longed for the warmth of Sumire's embrace, just as she had embraced her the last time her left eye had pained her. Even if Sumire lived in an entirely different world, one that was "normal," her kindness was a blessing to Lucia.

Was this really how friendship was supposed to feel? Or was it something else?

Lucia clutched her bed sheets tighter. Sumire really was far too kind, and she could almost become too dependent on that kindness. But even as they grew closer and learned to trust each other, Lucia knew there was till a great divide between them. Sumire had her own warm world to return to, while all Lucia had was lonely darkness.

"Sumire, stay with me, please..."


End file.
